A List of Soldiers in the Gaol, Philadelphia, 1756

A LIST OF SOLDIERS IN THE GAOL PHILADELPHIA, 1756 contributed by Aaron Goodwin R obert Hunter Morris (1700-1764), son of New Jersey governor Lewis Morris, served as Chief Justiee of the Province of New Jersey, 1738-1764, and as deputy governor of Pennsylvania, 1754-1756, during the early part of the French and Indian War. Morris’ papers are at the New Jersey Historical Society, most of which concern his tenure and affairs in New Jersey. Some papers, however, concern Morris' brief Penn¬ sylvania governorship, including the list below of imprisoned soldiers in the gaol of Philadelphia as of 1 May 1756. l No reason is given in the document for the soldiers' imprisonment, but a portion of an earlier letter to Morris from General William Shirley, then Commander-in-Chief of North American forces, provides some insight regarding the servants, apprentices, and recruiting officers on the list | emphasis added \ . Boston, Fcb’ry 20th, 1756. Sir, I inclose your Honour an Extract of a Letter to me from the Major of my Regiment, which gives me extreme Concern; I doubt not but your Honour will take Care that Justice is done to his Majesty for the loss of the Sergeant, who Mr. Kinneer informs me was murther’d by the Mob in the Discharge of his Duty, & w'cli 1 am sorry to find there is so much Reason to attribute to the Encouragement given them by the Magistrates, if what Mr. kinneer informs me is true, that they take all Servants & Apprentices who inlist into his Majesty's Service oat of it, and pat them in Goal |sic |, & confine the recruiting Officers. . . . As the Officers have assur'd me that they cannot complcat their Regi¬ ments in time without entertaining Indented Servants, it is now become my indispensable Duty to permit them to entertain such Recruits. If the Masters are injur'd by that, they may sue the Recruiting Officers, and the Law ought to decide the point. ... In the meantime I hope that all Outrages of the popu¬ lace & abuse of Civil power in the Magistrate against the Recruiting Officers will cease. If they do not, it must produce the most disagreeable Conse¬ quences in the Province under your Command. . . . " The contributor is editor of the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine. Robert Hunter Morris papers. MG 17, volume 2, document 44, New Jersey Histori¬ cal Society, Newark. New Jersey. “ Samuel Hazard, “Pennsylvania Archives, 1756," Pennsylvania Archives, 1st series, i 2( IH52): 37K. Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Vol. iK(2<)12) 123 1 24 Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Vol. t8 1756 May 1st A List of Soldiers in the Goal [s/c| of Philadelphia, and belonging to the sev¬ eral Regiments as follows, Vi/’t The 40th Regiment belonging to Con’l Hopson William Homes Charles Collrick All Serv'ts inlisted by Capl. Cottman Henry Webster 44th Henry Abell Andrew Mulicay Freemen John Stevens Jacob Porkhart Serv’t inlisted by Cap't Hobson or Order 47th John Peek, An Apprentice John Doughan } George Kichley ) Serv’ts Andrew Kiser William Anderson Thomas Wood Jacob I.owser George Catehley Inlisted by Cap’t Archbold or his Order Inlisted by Cap’t Allen or Order 48th James Stichhury James Sanderson 50th Serv'ts inlisted by Cap’t McQuinn Thomas Hall, Serv't John Cherrey, Free James McClain Inlisted by Cap’t Makenny Samuel Corrier George Chalcot John Goodlop Myer Michael Fenian William Rown Thomas Jones Joseph Thuston Dennis Bryan William Eaten Inlisted by Cap’t Farrell 51st Regiment commanded by Sir William Peppered Robert Boyd Robert Rouse Peter Lark James Todd Johannes Filk William Culbertson John Rought Zaehariah Willcot Serv'ts and Apprentices, inlisted by Sundry Officers in the Service of the above Regiment